The Seven Promises
by Ocelotpup7
Summary: What happens when kittypet and rogue clash? What happens when mates become unloyal? And what if a dead cat with a mysterious prophecy hangs above them without question? Anger will flare...love will burn...and fire will rage through the forest.
1. Chapter 1

Epilogue

Sugar dashed across the forest with giant waves of fire flaring beside her as she ran; the scorching heat singed her cream-and-white colored fur and the billowing black smoke dried her eyes as she carried her three tiny kits. They mewled in fear as they jerked and lurched forward in their mother's jaws with every paw step she made. With a pounding heart, Sugar tried as hard as she could to dodge the greedy flames that devoured the dry leaf-covered forest floor, but the overgrown terrain was too much for the pampered house cat.

Sugar's paw tripped over an exposed oak root and caused the frantic mother to tumble forward and drop her tiny kits. Her eldest kit slid right into the fire, causing Sugar to wail in grief along with her two other kits that huddled close to their mother.

"What's happening mamma?" The little tom wailed in fear, his blind blue eyes wide with shock. Sugar coaxed her rough tongue over her scared kit in attempt to calm him; Sugar only just noticed that they were surrounded by the raging fire. All hope for the family was lost.

"Be brave little ones…we will meet again soon!" Sugar cried over the deafening flames that hissed and crackled as they scorched the leaves and dry brambles. Sugar noticed a patch of evergreen leaves that lay on the base of the oak tree; maybe her kits would be safe there!

Sugar pushed her kits into the fresh leaves, knowing that they stored more water than the dead ones that easily caught fire and coward on her stomach to embrace her death; the flames where now uncomfortably close, burning her eyes and whiskers. Sugar's kit tried to follow her, but the mother quickly pushed her back into the leaves.

"Momma's going to be okay, Rose…" Sugar wailed with the fire turning her fur black, it was only a matter of time before she would catch fire. Her poor kits would be left to watch in agony…

When Sugar finally caught on fire, she lunged and screamed in agony, her body seemed to melt away with immense pain. For an instant, Sugar thought she heard a voice form with her screams and the muffling fire as she fought with death.

_ "Those who play with destiny are doomed"_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

Timber let his sore and aching muscles relax and enjoyed the warmth of the sun at it beamed on his dark brown tabby pelt. His housefolk had left not long ago, and Timber was going to use this time to enjoy the rest of his day and relax. The huge tom closed his tired amber eyes and rolled over so that his soft underbelly could warm in the sun. His collar jingled slightly with every movement Timber made, it was a calming noise in a way. The chirping of the birds that flew past overhead lulled Timber into a sleep as he basked in the warm summer sun. The damp breeze ruffled the tabby tom's dark-colored fur, exposing his lighter colored under fur.

"Help, Help me!" A loud yowl echoed into the forest. It sounded like a she-cat and other cats as well…like it was a fight! Timber shot open his eyes and scanned to find out where the screams where coming from. His heart thundered as he waited for her cry again. "Someone please!" She called again. The distressed she-cat sounded not far from Timber's home and the dark brown tabby leapt from his perch on the rocks and raced for the scared cat ahead.

His heart lurched once he heard the sound of the she-cat being pummeled onto the forest floor. Her breath was being forced from her lungs as the cats scored their claws across her flank and muzzle. Timber ran faster to help the cat fight off the attackers. When the cats came into sight, he saw two male cats, one black and the other was a light ginger tabby; the she-cat was coward under a bramble bush with her paws raised to defend herself, her flame-colored pelt was covered in blood.

"Who are you?" The black tom spat with gleaming blue eyes. The ginger tom stopped striking the she-cat for a moment to look at Timber.

"Just a dumb kittypet, Shadow" The light ginger tabby snorted. "Let's just finish her off!"

Timber bunched his muscles in preparation to leap at the cocky tabby, but the she-cat lunged forward and scored her thorn-sharp claws across his muzzle, blood gushed from the wound. It was when the black tom tackled her, when Timber shoved him off of her. Timber was twice the size of these scrawny tom cats and they knew it. Fear flashed in the black tom's blue eyes as Timber raised his massive paw with outstretched claws.

"No, stop, don't hurt me!" The black cat squealed with flattened ears. The she-cat huffed with pain as the ginger tabby pinned her down on the ground; Timber averted his gaze from his victim, but was surprised when the black tom escaped from his grasp and switched places with the ginger tabby tom. The bigger tom and Timber swiped at each other with gleaming claws, the two with equal strength. Timber ducked down and rolled underneath the ginger tom, kicking him high into the air and knocking the breath from him.

The black tom screeched in surprise when the she-cat fought back and started nipping at his exposed throat, ripping the fur from his neck before latching onto his neck. The tom gagged and tried to wriggle free, but the she-cat held on, her teeth digging into his flesh that pulsed with blood. Timber thought that the she-cat was going to kill him at first, but she released her grip and chased him away into the forest, the ginger tabby quick at his side.

"Are you okay?" Timber panted. The ginger she-cat's blue green eyes widened with shock, a snarl still planted on her face as he approached. "I'm not going to attack you."

Her eyes softened, but only a little, her white tipped tail was bushed with anxiety as Timber neared her. She slowly stepped backwards and looked into the forest where the attackers had fled, her blue green gaze drifting back to Timber.

"Thank you." She meowed tersely before running away into the forest, her scent lingering into her previous spot. Timber took the time to figure out what had just happened before he padded back home; his mate Stella would be waiting for him and would wander where he had gone off to. The image of the battered she-cat still haunted his memory.

_She has come_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

"Where were you, Timber?" Stella hissed with gleaming amber eyes. Her black pelt was smooth and shiny…beautiful.

"I had to save some wandering rogue…" Timber purred, before wrapping his tail around Stella. The black she-cat snorted sharply and ripped herself from his grasp. She turned to face him with her nose curled and her tail twitching.

"Who was it?" She growled with narrowed eyes.

"Some she-cat but she…" Timber started before Stella interrupted him with a lash of her black tail. Timber felt frustration bubbling under his skin

"Who is _she_?!" Stella hissed with jealousy flaring in her amber depths.

"Just a rogue, Stella…" Timber mewed calmly before sitting beside his mate, "She wasn't even pretty…"

This definitely got Stella's attention. Her anger left instantly and her snarl turned into a smile. "Why didn't you just say so?" The black she-cat mewed cheerfully before pressing her muzzle to his.

Timber laughed lightly at his mates' outrageous self-consciousness as the two padded back inside the housefolk's den. He let the she-cat lean into him without a care in the world and Stella purred deeply with happiness, all the previous hatred was gone from her.

"I don't want you talking to that _she-cat_ again, Timber." Stella demanded lightly, her tail raised high as she leapt onto the stone steps that led to the den entrance. Timber admired the way her fur rippled like a soft black river; Stella was so beautiful and graceful.

"I never even talked to her." Timber lied, not wanting Stella to get angry again. The black she-cat raised her chin with a smirk before scratching on the Twoleg door and meowing loudly. Quickly after, the Upwalker appeared; her old wrinkled skin was bunched in a smile as she talked to the cats and let them inside. Stella rubbed against Timber as they walked inside, Timber breathed in the smell of her; she was so beautiful and more often than not, he thought of what it would be like to have kits with Stella.

"Stella…" Timber began; Stella gazed up at him with wide amber eyes. "Have you ever thought of having kits?"

"Kits?" Stella meowed with a tilted head, her amber eyes still beaming with love for Timber. "Actually…yes" The black she-cat meowed with a curt smile. Timber's whiskers twitched before pressing his nose to hers.

"Good."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

Stella sat close to Timber as the two shared tongues under the shade of an old oak tree, her amber eyes seemed calm and at ease with Timber by her side. The large tabby tom often considered himself lucky to have such a beautiful mate who was funny and calm at the same time. Stella sighed and looked up into the sun dappled leaves with a smile across her face. The clouds that floated in the sky lingered in her beautiful gaze.

"It looks as if it'll storm." Stella mewed, her head resting on Timber's shoulder.

"Yeah…we better leave into the den before it rains." Timber purred, standing on his heavy paws to leave. Stella groaned in protest and wrapped her paws around Timber's shoulders before pulling him back onto the grass.

"I want to stay for just a bit longer!" Stella whined playfully. Timber rolled his eyes and toppled Stella over with a gentle push. The black she-cat giggled loudly as pawed at Timber's head with her paws; the two tussled around until they were out of breath and the sky had grown darker with rolling clouds. Stella stood and shook dead leaves from her pelt and gapped her mouth in a yawn; her silver fangs glistening in the dim light.

"Ready to go, Timber" Stella asked, catching Timber's amber gaze staring at her.

"Oh yeah, let's go." Timber grunted as he got up from his spot under the shade. The damp smell of rain flew in the wind and as the two walked back home, a rain drop landed on his nose. It was cold, but Timber didn't pay any attention. The elderly Upwalker was waiting for them by her door with two bowls of food in her wrinkly hands; the smell of Timber's food alerted his senses and made his mouth water. Stella stopped sharply with a bushed tail, Timber looked at her questionably. "What is it Stella?"

"Oh, I almost forgot!" The black she-cat meowed with wide eyes. She turned and started running for the woods.

"Stella, come back!" Timber called with concern. "Where are you going?"

"I'll be back shortly!" She called before disappearing into the woods. Timber lunged to chase after her, but the Upwalker grabbed him in her hairless arms. She cooed something to Timber that he could not understand. The heavy tom looked into the forest to search for his runaway mate, but Stella was no were to be found. The rolling thunder coming from the clouds made Timber sick to his stomach.

_ Be careful Stella!_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

"I'm pregnant!" Stella squealed with glowing eyes. Timber's heart stopped for what seemed like moons and his blood ran cold.

"W-With kits" Timber stuttered. Stella rubbed her cheek against his before replying.

"What else would I be pregnant with, silly?" She purred. "We're having kits!"

Timber's heart swelled with an emotion he had never felt before. _I'm a father!_ He shook with excitement. "I'm a father!" He meowed happily with a bounce. Stella seemed uncertain for only a moment's notice before smiling back and wrapping her body around his.

"I've already decided names." Stella purred. "If I have a she-kit, her name will be Majesty. If I have a tom I'll name him Bear."

"I like those…but would you love to name our toms after me?" Timber purred jokingly with a flick of his large tabby tail. Stella rolled her amber eyes before lying on the Upwalker's couch and stretching her long limbs.

"Sure Timber…" She sighed before closing her tired eyes. Timber leapt onto the couch with Stella and lay down beside her.

"I'm just glad I'm going to be a father." He purred. Stella didn't answer immediately, but when she did, her words came out dry as sand.

"So am I."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5

_"Save me, Timber, Help…Help!" Stella wailed into the night air. Timber was trudging through the forest with fire lapping at his long pelt. His mate was dangling from a tree, her stomach swollen with his unborn kits. The black tom that had attacked the rogue she-cat days before sat on the same limb that Stella was struggling to hold on to; fire loomed underneath the pregnant cat. His body was mystified opaque… was he dead? Had the fiery she-cat killed him?_

_ "Help her up!" Timber hissed to the black tom, his blue eyes burned cold into Timber's._

_ "Are you sure?" The black tom meowed with narrowed eyes, the white diamond on his chest beamed in the dark. Timber's heart lurched when he saw Stella slip and fall closer to the fire._

_ "I'm sure! I'm sure…help her!" Timber screeched. Stella clung to the lowest branch with clenched teeth and gleaming claws. She was only a hair length away from death, struggling to hold up her weight with her kits._

_ "Poor young cat…" The black tom sighed, his blue eyes filling with vengeance as he stared at Stella struggling on the branch. "Love _is_ blind isn't it?"_

_ Timber screeched in shock when Stella's fur became one with the fire. Her appearance completely changed as the fire swirled around Stella's body. A cold rush of awareness washed over Timber as the fire shed Stella's fur and revealed another cat; a cat whose sea-green eyes would trap you forever and feel what you felt in the same moments. The black tom grabbed the new cat's scruff and dangled its' small and lithe body over the fire._

_ "Some lives are more important than others!" The black tom hissed with clenched teeth, still holding the terrified cat in his jaws. The cat looked at Timber with those scared, wide eyes before the black tom dropped it in the fire. The cat's screeches of pain echoed and squawked like ravens in the night; black feather spraying from the fire with the screams following. The feather's blended into the black tom's fur, causing his body to dissolve into the same feathers._

_ "Some lives are more important than others!" The tom hissed into the wind as his body mystified into the sky. _

Timber jerked awake with pain tearing at his heart and the image of the fire-cat's electric eyes stained into his eyelids. The way its' screams echoed in his mind; it seemed so real!

_ But it was only a dream._ Timber tried to convince himself.

_ But you slept inside last night._

Timber realized with a jolt that he was no longer in the upwalker's den, but by the same tree Stella was hanging from in the dream. The black tom's voice echoed in his ears.

_"It was only a dream?"_ His mew whispered in the wind_. "Then why are you outside?"_

Only one though came into his mind.

_Stella!_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6

Strong winds whipped Timber's fur around and deafened him to the point that he could only lay his ears flat. Never in Timber's life, had he ever experienced such strong winds; His paws lifted off of the ground a time or two.

"Stella…" Timber tried to call above the loud wind. "Stella, where are you!?"

The only sound was booming thunder and heavy wind that whistled and blew most of the trees sideways. Leaves and large debris flew into Timber's eyes and face as he struggled to walk forward. The strong winds slammed the heavy tom down and slid him far from where he originally was. The toms' dark brown tabby fur was pressed flat to his body as Timber struggled against the heavy winds; digging his black claws into the earth to keep from being lifted by the wind. Timber screeched with pain as a large rock was ripped from the ground and slammed onto his paw. Fiery pain flooded through Timber's paw, and he struggled to pry the large stone from his paw and find his lost mate. The stone was moved and Timber ripped himself from its painful grip, only to find he couldn't put his weight on it.

Timber gasped when the wind lifted him from the ground and slammed him into a yew bush before blowing him across the forest floor; trying to hold on, Timber was tossed and pummeled by debris and the strong winds that dragged him farther and farther away from home and his expecting mate.

A dark mystified shadow circled Timber; a cold chill blowing through the dark tabby's spine._ Let me guide you._ The mist whispered, the voice sounded familiar. Timber let go of the earth and was surprised to be 'carried' by the strange entity through the forest. Timber ran within the ghost for it protected him from the thrashing and deafening winds.

"Where are you taking me?" Timber panted his amber eyes wide with terror. The mist stopped Timber before it spoke again; its body coming into focus and Timber seethed with anger and confusion.

"I will take you home…" The cat meowed. It was the black tom in Timber's dream; his icy eyes gleaming like blue stars. "But you have to help me before I can take you back to Stella."

"How can I help you?" Timber growled. "You are already dead!"

"Only a wandering soul…" The tom sighed. "I need you to fulfill the Seven Promises…If not, I am left to wander on this earth alone."

"Why would I help you?" Timber spat. "You killed a cat in my dreams!"

"Why?" The black spirit hissed with raging anger. Thunder boomed from behind the angry cat and rattled the earth on impact. The tom left Timber's reach and exposed the tabby tom to the harsh winds of the storm. Timber was snatched away from the tom by the heavy wind and rain that whipped onto earth. Timber instantly wanted the protection of the spirit again, but he was far away from him now; Timber could only struggle to grip the earth as he was thrown around like dead prey.

As Timber's body was blown into the horse field, terror nipped at his heart as he saw the scariest thing to walk the earth. A gigantic smoky-white hurricane was whipping across the land; digging up debris and dirt as it slowly spun around. Timber instantly tried running the other way, but was knocked unconscious when a large wood plank slammed into his face.

"The Seven Promises…" The tom hissed. "Fulfill them if you ever want to see Stella again!"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 7

A raven squawked loudly above Rose's head, it woke her from a deep sleep. Rose expected to see Shadow protecting her from the storm, but the cat was gone. Only large debris and fallen trees remained. Rose tried to stand, but her mind was fuzzy from when a branch hit her during the hurricane. That was when Shadow found her, he was so kind as to protect her like that…but Rose still remembered what happened when she first met Shadow.

Rose shook the memory from her throbbing mind and scanned the area with her one good eye; the other swollen with a scratch from the branch. Her ear hurt from when a shelling rock cut a knick in her ear as it flew past her the night before. Rose saw a pile of wood from the horse field crumpled beside her and froze when she saw a limp paw sticking out of it.

"Oh my," Rose squealed, her heart thumping frantically. "Oh gosh" The ginger she-cat began to shove debris off of the cat, exposing more and more of the injured cat. Rose noticed that it was a dark tabby tom, his body was cold, but Rose could see the steady rise and fall of his chest. Rose pressed her nose to the cats' forehead to see if he was barely clinging to life, but his body temperature was cold but his breath was strong.

"Are you okay?" Rose shook the tom until his amber eyes opened slowly. Rose instantly recognized the injured tom; it was the cat that had saved her from the two tom cats not too long ago. Her sympathy for the brown tabby instantly grew ad Rose grabbed the tom by the scruff and struggled to pull the huge cat from the rubble; he grunted with pain as he was pulled free.

"Who are you?" Rose asked the tom whose face was bloody around the nose. Her eyes searched his before he decided to answer.

"T-Timber…"He murmured, standing to his paws with a limp. Rose noticed that his paw battered with caked blood. _The storm must've really hurt him._ Rose thought. The ginger she-cat padded to his side and let him lean into her.

"You must be in excruciating pain." Murmured Rose to Timber; the tom shook dead leaves from his ruffled pelt and stumbled against Rose. Timber grunted in agreement, before he actually decides to look at Rose; his eyes widened in shock.

"It's you! The spirit cat dropped you into the fire!" Timber screech, leaping away from Rose and falling onto his back with scrambling paws. Rose turned her head sideways and twitched her tail in confusion at Timber's odd behavior.

"Who? What?" Rose asked with a frown. "Nobody dropped me into a fire."

Timber's eyes where sparked with confusion, along with Rose's. "But-But… I saw you die!"

"I can assure you I'm not dead." Rose meowed curtly with a slight smile. Timber stood once again and limped up to Rose slowly, his whiskers brushed hers and made Rose feel uncomfortable. The ginger she-cat backed up slightly so that their whiskers no longer brushed. "Why would you think that?"

"I had a dream last sundown about you…" Timber meowed facing the leafy forest floor. "The black cat threw you into the fire. You died…or-or so I thought." Rose's gaze turned cold with an unknown emotion before she answered.

"Black cat…" Rose meowed, with a ruffled tail. "What did he look like?"

"He's dead…a spirit…with a white diamond on his chest." Timber meowed looking up at the sky; the light made his amber depths beam. Rose knew exactly who he was talking about.

"Shadow…It's Shadow!" Rose meowed, making Timber bounce back. "He's the spirit cat! Oh this makes so much more sense!" Confusion was painted on Timber's face; Rose looked to the sky. "Shadow told me about the Seven Promises…what does that even mean?"

"He told you, too?" Timber questioned. Rose nodded. "What does Shadow want with us?" The huge tom snarled and swung his body around so that he was facing the darkly shaded forest; his muscular shoulders bunched and the hair along his spine was standing on end. "What do you want from us, huh? Are you scared of the sun? Come out and show yourself, you coward!"

"Hey, Shadow is nothing but helpful! He saved me from the storm!" Rose snarled, jumping in front of Timber with an arched back. A soft whisper brushed in Rose's ear fur… it was Shadow, she could tell it. Timber's eyes grew wide as Shadow's faint body wrapped around him; Rose saw a smirk planted on Shadow's face, a glint of humor beamed in his blue eyes as he gazed at Rose.

"Thank you, Rose…I promise you all that this will all make sense as the moons fly by."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8

"Were lost" Timber growled at Rose. The ginger she-cat had searched every inch of the forest looking for any cat that was passing by. Timber appreciated her effort, but it was no use, the scents of Timber's Upwalker home were far gone as well as Stella's sweet scent. He missed Stella greatly with every paw step and tried not to think of her and his unborn kits.

"There's still hope…" Rose murmured, navigating her way through a fern bundle. Aggravation gnawed at Timber's tail, _what this cat not understands about, we're lost!_ Rose popped her head from the fern bush, the fronds brushing her cheeks.

"No there isn't…let's just lie down and go to sleep. Some cat is bound to find us soon, plus, my paws are killing me!" Timber complained. Rose huffed defiantly and flicked her tail, the fronds swishing as her tail lashed through them. "You don't have to be so testy with me!" Hissed Timber as Rose stormed past him.

"Don't tell me what I can or can't do! I'm a rogue, I listen to _no one_!" Rose growled to the cranky tom. Timber was taken aback, but continued, anger swelling under his pelt. Rose interrupted his retort with one her own. "You can stay lost in this crummy forest, but I want to leave! I wouldn't expect a _kittypet_ to understand!"

"Mangy-pelted rogue! I do understand. I have somewhere to be!" Timber howled with anger. Rose raged forward, her blue-green depths blazing with fury. The ginger she-cat was whisker-to-whisker with Timber, her lip curled so that her fangs glistened in the moonlight.

"As do I" Rose screeched, Timber instantly regretted what he said when he saw pain and sadness fill the she-cat's gaze. "I have a family waiting for me at home! They depend on me…I depend on them." Rose lowered her head, her claws unsheathing from her paws. Timber stepped forward to apologize, but Rose hissed and swiped a paw; her razor-sharp claws barely missing his muzzle.

"Rose I-" Timber started, but was quickly cut off by Rose. The she-cat's eyes blazed so bright that Timber couldn't look at her any longer and looked down at his paws instead.

"Leave me alone…you've said what you needed to."

Rose turned away slowly and walked into the forest with the shadows swallowing her flaming pelt. Timber started to run after her, but a familiar face came into vision. Shadow sat with his tail wrapped around his paws, the diamond on his chest beaming from his night-dark pelt. "What do you want?"

Shadow shook his head and looked into the forest where Rose disappeared, his icy-blue eyes flickering before he looked back at Timber. "Are you ready to fulfill the first Promise?"

"I'm not participating in your stupid Seven Promises! You'll just have to be a loner spirit cat the rest of your days!" Timber hissed. Shadow raised his chin with the same cocky smirk planted on his face; his black, shadowy pelt began to fade.

"Say goodbye to Stella then…"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 9

Rose felt self-conscious climbing the tall oak tree with Timber watching her, he always seemed to frown down on her and it was aggravating! Rose was trying her hardest to be quiet in the tree, but it was different from the ones near her home by the Nofur dens and her claws slipped on the damp wood from the rain earlier that night. The raven caught a glimpse of Rose's fire-colored fur and squawked before it took off into the air; Rose ran across the branch and swiped her claws in attempt to snag the bird's scaly leg, but the raven was too fast. The black bird laughed and cawed as it landed in another tree, flapping its tail feathers in a mocking way.

"I thought you said you were a good hunter." Timber growled with flattened ears. Rose spit in anger at the grumpy tom and focused on how to climb down the slippery oak; her paws slipped and her stomach slammed into the lower branch. Rose heard Timber snicker, but she ignored it, feeling a familiar company around her.

_I've got you, Rose._ The voice meowed, showing Shadow at the base of the tree. Rose instantly felt better, noticing that Timber couldn't see Shadow helping her by the tree base. The black tom guided his paws over hers, his body looming over Rose's as he lowered her from the tree. Rose purred once her sore pads touched the cool, damp grass; Shadow smiled with twitching whiskers_. I'm here when you need me…you have almost fulfilled the first Promise._

"_Feed when Hungry_…yes Shadow, I'll get that raven next time." Rose purred, pressing her muzzle to the starry tom's shoulder. Shadow licked her fore head before dispersing into the air, his scent still lingered on Rose's pelt as Timber walked up to her. The dark tabby tom's shoulder's where hunched and his amber eyes bored.

"Who are you talking to?" Timber meowed coolly, his ears swiveling as the morning birds whistled and chirped in the trees. Rose lifted her chin and waved her tail high in the air. "Thanks to you, I'll have to go hungry again."

"If you're _that _hungry you'd be stalking your own prey" Hissed Rose, Timber scorned at her but turned away before she could say anymore. The brown tabby was seething with envy.

"You know I can't hunt!" Timber growled. "We talked about this!"

"Obviously, kittypets aren't fit for the outdoors unlike us fearless rogues! All kittypets can do is groom themselves and play pet for their Nofurs!" Rose spat, knowing where to strike in this argument. Timber hissed in frustration and fury.

"If you're so fearless Rose," Timber started with bared teeth. "Then why did I find you cowering in the woods as those two toms attacked you?!" Rose took a step back and unsheathed her claws.

"Shadow has apologized for attacking me!" Rose screeched in defense to the black spirit cat. "Let's see you fight two cats on your own!"

"Try me!" Spat Timber, crouching down in the hunter's crouch. Rose did the same; her claws itching to slice open the arrogant tom's skin. "I may not know how to hunt, but I can fight!"

"How cute, you think you're the only one." Smirked Rose, the she-cat lashed her tail and wriggled her haunches. Timber lunged forward and tackled Rose to the leafy forest floor and pinned her down so that only her hind legs could move.

"Get off of me, you lumbering dog!" Spat Rose. Timber scowled as Rose scored her claws across his ear; blood pulsed from the knick in his ear. Timber jumped off of her and shook his head, the blood smearing only a bit across his ear fur. Rose jumped on his back and bit into his scruff with force; Timber screeched and rolled over onto his back, crushing Rose with his weight. The tom held the fiery she-cat down but didn't claw at her. Rose, slowly losing the urge to fight, relaxed her claws and squirmed from under Timber.

"I'm sorry…I don't want to hurt you." Timber meowed sincerely, his eyes beaming in an unfamiliar emotion. Rose was speechless at Timber's sudden apology, but accepted it.

"…Yeah, sure…" Rose meowed with suspicion still lingering in her tone. Timber shook his head and sat down, curling his stripped tail over his paws.

"I'm serious." Timber mewed. "I don't want to fight with you anymore." Rose couldn't help but purr inside. It felt good to not be angry at Timber anymore and be nice with him instead; Timber smiled slightly and the two left back into their makeshift den together.


	11. Chapter 11

Timber watched as Rose demonstrated how to do a hunter's crouch. The ginger she-cat had convinced him to help Shadow with the Seven Promises; the first promise had been fulfilled once Timber had helped Rose.

_Feed when Hungry_

The next promise was: _Warm when Cold_

Timber didn't see how this was going to help Shadow, but he didn't question. Rose liked the spirit cat very much, so Timber did what he could to make her happy. He felt the same when he was around Stella, he acted silly and dumb, but he also tried to do whatever he could for her. Timber's heart stung at the thought of Stella and even more when he envisioned his unborn kits. He wandered what they would look like; fierce and passionate while hunting and strong and beautiful… just like Stella.

"Your turn" Rose meowed with a cheery tone. Timber was woken from his thoughts once Rose spoke, the she-cat was invigorated and awake from sleep. Timber was too busy thinking of Stella that he wasn't paying attention to Rose's hunting tactic! "It's easy, try it."

Timber crouched on his paws with doubt and looked up at Rose. The flame-colored she-cat's whiskers twitched in amusement, Timber flushed with embarrassment but Rose quickly demonstrated by his side. She crouched on her paws, her white under belly was hovering over the earth and her tail was utterly still. Timber placed his paws as Rose's and made sure to keep his tail still. Rose beamed with affection as she watched Timber perform her crouch.

"Nice job! Just keep your ears down and paws silent." She meowed, before shaking a leaf from her paw. Her sea-green eyes averted to the sound of a nearby stream. "We should get something to drink. We need to keep searching for any cats that could help us back home, but we must stay hydrated."

"Good idea," Murmured Timber, standing strait and looming over Rose's small body. "I'm awful thirsty…you?"

"Yeah" Meowed Rose before padding for the stream with her tail held high. Timber bounded after her with his pads crunching the leaves on the forest floor; fresh grass was beginning to sprout from the leafy earth and flowers where blooming heavily. The stream was surrounded by fresh green grass and lily pads floated delicately on the surface of the rippling water. Rose neared the stream and lapped up the icy water with fast strokes of her tongue; a soft purr crawled from her throat as he swallowed the water. Timber drank from the stream, letting the cool feeling of the water slide down his throat and cooling his body down. The raven appeared again, this time he was perched high into a blooming cedar tree and was unaware of the cats presence. Rose slithered up the tree with fast speed; the raven didn't even see her blaze past its tree until it was too late. The ginger she-cat leapt from her lower branch and caught the crow between her sharp claws, but the bird flapped away.

Rose hissed in frustration, a light rain had started to fall as the gray clouds opened up. Timber shook the cold drops from his eyes and whiskers as he watched Rose try and climb down the damp cedar. Her paws slipped but the ginger she-cat quickly regained her balance, struggling to see over the rain. "That was close, wasn't it Timber?" She meowed with a worried smile.

Timber padded up to the base of the tree and looked up at Rose. Her paw steps where shaky and tentative; Timber was almost certain she would fall. "Do you need help?" The dark brown tabby meowed. Rose didn't speak, only shook her head and jumped to another branch. The branch snapped and Rose came falling to the earth; she landed on Timber's back and let out a gasp of breath, the bark on the tree landing lightly. Timber was going to ask her if she was hurt, but the flame-colored she-cat stood and shook the water from her eyes and let out a laugh. "I guess I spoke too soon didn't I?" She joked, her sea-green eyes sparked with both embarrassment and humor. Timber knew she was hurt…he could feel pain radiating off of her paw when she moved.

"Y-Your paw…are you okay?" Timber hesitated, not knowing whether Rose would react angrily and lash out at him again. Rose pressed her weight on her injured leg and clenched her teeth, pain washed over her leg with full force. Timber didn't need her to answer. "We need to stay in the den until your leg heals."

"What I—"Rose began but Timber pressed his tail to her white muzzle.

"You are not okay; I won't allow you to get hurt any more than you already are." Timber meowed sternly, a flicker of defiance beamed into Rose's eyes. She pushed his tail away with her free paw and curled her lip with a defiant lash of her tail.

"Fine," She spat angrily. "I'll go…just don't talk to me like a kit!"

Timber instantly thought of his kits. Would Stella tell them about their lost father, would she care for them…would she find another mate? The thought pierced his stomach like a claw so he quit thinking about his unborn kits and padded beside Rose who was limping slightly.

The newly made den was limp and unsturdy, so rain water flooded the inside of the den as the two cats tried to sleep. Timber lay far from Rose but he could still see her small body shivering from the cold night rain; a mystified black shape formed at the den entrance, it was Shadow and his blue eyes sparked with annoyance.

"Are you blind mouse-brain?!" The black spirit hissed, still keeping his distance from the den. His cold blue eyes looked over at the shivering bundle of flame-colored fur. "The second promise! Did you forget?"

"What? No, No I didn't…" Timber mumbled under his breath before hiding his face from the rain. Shadow spat in defiance before entering the den and circling Rose's shaking body; he created a light breeze and caused Rose to shiver harder and curl herself into a tight ball.

"I believe you have Timber…" His eyes grew jaded before he spoke of the second promise. "_Warm when Cold_…"

Timber hissed. "Why am I even doing this?" He stood and slumped down beside Rose, her breathing was fast and her fur was soaked. A wave of guilt washed over Timber momentarily. "She doesn't even like me." Shadow's fur ruffled as Timber spoke harshly about Rose.

"Quiet, Timber!" He spat angrily. "One day, you will regret not helping her! Trust me I know."

Timber hissed and lay beside Rose. The she-cat, still deep asleep, nuzzled closer to him and the two shared each other's warmth until Rose stopped shivering. Timber's eyes where heavy with sleep, and before he fell asleep beside Rose, Shadow whispered into his ear.

"Excellent job…the next promise: _Teach when lost_."


	12. Chapter 12

_ A fire crackled around Rose and her mother, Sugar. The fire was white-hot and extremely close to the two kits who were hiding in a green fern bush. Rose's brother, Patch had inhaled so much smoke that he had died beside her when their mother hid them in the bushes._

_"Momma's going to be okay, Rose…" Sugar wailed with the fire turning her fur black, it was only a matter of time before she would catch fire. Rose shivered, knowing everything wasn't going to be okay! Sugar caught fire and screamed so loud that it drilled into Rose's ears…so loud that Rose realized that it was her screaming and that she was only dreaming!_

"Rose wake up" Timber meowed worriedly as he shook Rose awake. The flames and the screams of her mother and the body of her dead brother faded from her mind as the heavy-set tom shook her awake. His amber depths beamed with worry and confusion as he stared down at Rose. She must've been thrashing in her sleep because dead leaves and moss clung to her ruffled fur. "Are you okay?" Timber meowed, uncertain of what to say as Rose stood on her white paws.

"Y-Yeah…" The ginger she-cat meowed with an expressionless face. Her paws itched to run and feel the cool night air flow through her pelt, a chance to speak with Shadow would be great! She looked over at Timber, his ears where floppy from sleep and his tail barely moved. "Go back to sleep…I'm going out for a while…"

"You're coming back though, right?" Timber asked with a yawn. Rose nodded and watched as the large tom curled back into his nest. Rose took a deep breath as a cool breeze wrapped around her body as if motioning for her to sprint into the deepest parts of the forest; her paws rocketed from her place and she ran into the woods, enjoying the way the night rain cooled her pelt and clung to her whiskers. Rose could already feel Shadow waiting for her and it was only a matter of time before she would see those beautiful blue eyes of his. Her heart raced in excitement at the thought of seeing Shadow so Rose ran faster.

The sweeping fronds of the willow trees grazed the ground as Rose finally stopped. She was out of breath and tired from her midnight run. Shadow was nowhere to be found and Rose's heart ached for his company; the ginger she-cat sat on the cool, damp grass and licked her throbbing pads. The night air was silent expect for the chirps of the crickets that lulled the forest to sleep. A rustling of the bushes made Rose's heart jump in freight, surprise, and hope. She spun, expecting to see Shadow's sparkling black pelt, but only saw Timber lumber his way out of a bramble bush. Rose sighed and turned her body away from the tabby tom. A scent of doubt and confusion waved from the big tom's body.

"What's wrong, Rose? Did I scare you?" Timber meowed sincerely. Rose shrugged, still upset about Shadow. _I thought you were coming?_ She pleaded in her mind while looking at the stars. Timber sat beside Rose with a frown. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine…just a bit rattled." Rose murmured, not looking at the tom's face. Timber's whiskers twitched as he tried to think of something to say to break up the silence that was quickly growing awkward. He didn't know anything about her! What was he supposed to say?

"D-Did I say something offensive earlier…or…" Timber mewed, fully aware that embarrassment was radiating from his pelt with full force. Rose's sea-foam eyes met his; his heart skipped a beat at the intensity of the color.

"No, not at all," Rose meowed quickly with a smile. She stood on her paws and sat in front of Timber before she spoke again, her smile was kind. "It's nothing, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

"Are you sure? Because I'm okay with helping you…if that's what you want of course," Timber meowed carefully. He didn't want to step on any of her invisible landmines and set her off like a bomb. Rose had a short and fiery temper like no cat Timber had ever met.

Rose smiled and looked into Timber's amber eyes. The two stared at each other awkwardly before Rose cleared her throat and stood on her paws to leave. A sudden question spilled randomly out of Timber's mouth before Rose could leave.

"What was it like before you met me?"

Rose stopped, mid-paw step and froze; Timber's heart sank like a rock in a stream_. Landmine! Landmine!_ The she-cat turned, her eyes not blazing with hate or rage, but with curiosity. Her tail tip wiggled slightly and a smile was formed on her delicate face.

"Lonely."


	13. Chapter 13

"Teach when lost?" Rose meowed as Timber told her the next promise. "That seems strange, but okay." The she-cat ran forward and cut off Timber as the cats walked through the forest. Her claws slid out and a playful snarl was planted on her face. Timber smirked and crouched down, his huge body looming over Rose's small frame.

"You're going to teach me to fight?" Timber meowed cockily with a wave of his tail. Rose play-hissed and rolled onto her back with her paws batting the air. A cute giggle escaped her mouth as Timber gentle batted at her ears with a soft paw; her warm and tiny paws pressed to Timber's nose and sent chills down his spine. It reminded him of when Stella would tussle gently with him and giggle in the exact same way. He knew his kits would be born soon and Stella's belly was probably swollen with kits; the thought made his stomach clench with an unpleasant feeling. Timber stopped playing and walked forward before stopping and looking back at Rose. The she-cat looked unsure but stood too.

"We need to keep walking…I need to get back home." Timber murmured; thinking of Stella waiting for him at his upwalker's den with his kits tucked into the curve of her stomach. Rose looked stunned but stood and walked beside him with a raised tail; face was expressionless as she stood with him.

"The sun is starting to set…should we find shelter and get some rest?" Rose mewed innocently with wide eyes. Timber's stomach fluttered and he looked away; her eyes were just too intense to look at. The dark brown tabby tom looked around and scanned the forest; it was thick with flowering trees and tall grass which was perfect to sleep on. Timber agreed to rest and the two made makeshift nests in the grass until the stars appeared. The moon beamed from the sky and made Rose's fiery-colored pelt look silver and elegant; the fluttering feeling reappeared.

"Sleep well, Timber…" Rose yawned, her tail fur brushing against Timber's flank accidentally. Timber's ears grew hot and he quickly tucked his face under his tail.

"Night, Rose." The large tom meowed, his voice muffled by his tail. It wasn't long before his body grew still and a dream welcomed him

_"Timber?" A voice meowed from the distance. Timber recognized that voice! "Timber, is that you?" The voice meowed again, this time louder._

_"Stella?" Timber meowed to the voice. The slender and beautiful figure of his mate brushed her way through the fronds of a fern bush, her belly was heavy with kits. Timber had never seen a more beautiful sight. "Stella! Oh Stella, where were you? I've missed you so much!"_

_"I was home…waiting for you." Stella meowed with an anxious smile. Timber pressed his muzzle to hers and purred loudly; happiness was threatening to drown him. The black she-cat smiled before speaking once more. "Your kits are due any day now, Timber."_

_A rustle in the bushes caught Timber off guard, a flame-colored she-cat stood behind the two cats. Stella curled her lip at Rose; the ginger she-cat crouched down and lashed her tail in defense. Timber tried to separate the two but Stella screeched loudly and shed her fur to reveal the light ginger tabby tom that had attacked Rose with Shadow's help the day he first met her. The tom sliced open Rose's throat and the she-cat let out a bloodcurdling gurgle as blood pooled around her neck from the wound._

_"Rose!" Timber screeched. The ginger tabby tom faded and all that was left was Rose, her bloody neck drew attention away from her glazed eyes. Her back was arched and her paws where tucked in close to her stomach…where those kits inside of her!? Timber pressed his muzzle to his friend's forehead and stifled a sob. "Rose, no don't leave me alone out here!"_

_"T-Timber… I-I ne…" Rose started, but her eyes rolled back and a heart retching sigh left her mouth._

Timber awoke to the sound of Rose's anxious meows next to his ear. Her eyes where lit with worry and a frown was plastered onto her face. Timber tried to stand, but sleep made his paws numb and he fell over into a pile of autumn leaves.

"Timber, are you okay?" Rose meowed intently. Timber was glad to see her still alive and not dead. He could still see the blood and hear her last breath as it escaped her bloody lips…

"Rose, thank goodness!" Timber sighed with relief and leapt back onto his paws to brush his cheek with hers. Rose stumbled at Timber's sudden move and let out a startled chuckle; the large brown tabby was waving with relief. "You won't believe the dream I had!"

"I'd love to hear it." Rose meowed with a calm voice. She sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws with the mid-morning sun radiating off of her flaming-red pelt; it beamed like fire around the spot she was sitting. Timber opened his mouth to speak but the sight of her pelt burning bright made his throat dry and his paws sweaty. _What's wrong with me?_ Timber wondered before Rose spoke again.

"Timber, are you alright? You seem nervous." Rose meowed, yet again capturing Timber in those bright eyes of hers. Timber blushed and flicked his tail to excuse the feeling of her eyes on him and finally spoke.

"I'm perfect…f-fine, just had a bad dream." Timber stumbled. Rose tilted her head, obviously unconvinced and padded towards him with a quirky smirk planted on her face. Timber lowered his ears as Rose circled him to see if he was lying, he felt like his fur was on fire with nervousness.

"Bad dream, huh?" Rose meowed, moving her face close to Timber's. Her soft whiskers brushed his cheeks and made his nose itch. Timber sneezed and shook his head; Rose laughed and leapt in a circle before crouching before him. The ginger she-cats eyes sparked with play and rebellion; she lifted a white paw and clawed at the bugs in the air. "Come on, quit being so tense! Chase me, I bet you'll never catch me!"

"Okay, ready-set- GO!" Timber meowed, leaping in the air and catching the she-cat suddenly. Rose growled light-heartedly and gently battered his soft underbelly with her hind paws, her tail covered Timber's eyes so he couldn't see where she was. "Hey, no fair," Timber laughed, rolling Rose's small body under his and removing her tail from his eyes. Rose squealed and let out a tiny laugh. "Ha, I caught you!" He purred.

Rose sighed happily and squeezed from under the tom's paws. Her eyes met his again. "Okay you win kittypet. But watch out next time." The feeling that Rose left in the pit of Timber's heart made him wonder about Stella. The beautiful black she-cat left the same effect on his heart, but there was something about Rose that made the pit in his heart mature more than it ever did with Stella and a question flashed in mind in that moment as he saw Rose turn back and cast a smile at him.

_Are you in love with another cat!_


	14. Chapter 14

"Shadow is that you?" Rose meowed as she saw the tom's starry black pelt. Shadow's blue eyes looked into hers and a smile washed over his opaque face as Rose ran to him. The black tom pressed his muzzle to her forehead and let out a purr.

"How is my beautiful flower?" The star-pelted ghost purred. His eyes beamed with affection. Rose purred and wrapped her tail around his and pressed her flank to his side, his narrow face fit perfectly into hers when he pressed his muzzle to her cheek.

"Better now that I'm with you." Rose sighed. Shadow placed his paw on top of hers and let Rose lean into him as the night crickets chirped a sweet and calm lullaby. Shadow looked to the stars and let out a sigh before licking Rose's nose.

"The third promise… you've considered it?" Shadow meowed to the ginger she-cat. Rose looked up at Shadow's face before she answered.

"S-Sure…I'm sure you want to see your family in _StarClan_…" Rose murmured. Her feelings where hurt once she realized all Shadow wanted from her were to fulfill the seven promises. Shadow nodded and untwined his tail with hers. "Don't leave so soon!" Rose meowed once Shadow's pelt started to fade. The black tom looked back and lowered his head with a sigh.

"As much as I love you, Rose…" He started but started to dissolve again. Anger bubbled under Rose's pelt as she ran after him.

"But what, Shadow, what is it, why can't you love me?" Rose hissed with a singed heart. The black tom looked deep into her eyes with ancient wisdom she had never seen before. His pelt completely dissolved and all that remained was his eyes.

"Love has been my enemy since my life began." His eyes faded and Rose found herself standing alone in the forest. The romantic chirp of the crickets now sounded dull and lonely as Rose sat stranded alone. A rustle in the bushes caught her attention; Timber padded up to her with a tiny shrew in his jaws. The tabby tom was unaware of the fact that Shadow had just broken her heart, but Rose didn't care. The saddened she-cat wailed loudly and ran into Timber's embrace, the tom taken aback but quickly licked the ruffled fur on Rose's shoulder.

"I'm here now, Rose…" Timber soothed the crying she-cat. The two sat under the glow of the moon until they fell asleep under the stars. The neediness in Rose's heart left and she let the steady purr in Timber's throat bring her dreams.

_"I'm sorry, Rose…but I lay in stars, not hearts."_


	15. Chapter 15

Rose paid no attention to the ground as she walked into the forest. The mid-morning rain soaked her fur and dropped into her eyes as she walked beside Timber. Her heart was heavy and her paws where drooping with sadness from last nights' epidemic. Rose stepped into a deep rabbit hole and fell forward with a grunt.

"Rose!" Timber screeched in surprise as Rose rolled forward and landed in a bramble bush. The thorns tore at her fur and poked her eyes and nose. Timber ran down the hill until he reached Rose, he'd been so protective over her lately. "Hold still, I'll get you out." Timber searched frantically for a stick in the soil but the rain made it difficult to see anything.

Rose grunted with effort the free herself from the brambles but it was futile. The tendrils where wrapped tightly around her legs and the thorns only dug deeper with each movement. Timber shook the water from his eyes and bounded over to Rose with narrowed eyes.

"I'll just pull you out." Timber meowed over the loud rain. Rose tensed as Timber grabbed her scruff and pulled. The thorns ripped her fur but Timber pulled her free, his muzzle nervously close to Rose's. The she-cat sighed in thanks and shook the dead tendrils from her soaked pelt. Timber sneezed as a drop of rain hit his nose, his amber eyes glowed in the dark of the stormy air.

"Are you hurt?" The dark brown tabby meowed to Rose.

"No, I'm fine. Thank you." Rose purred. Timber smiled gratefully and the two continued walking.

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"What do you want?" Shadow growled irritably to Timber. Timber looked at the white diamond on Shadow's chest. It looked like a snow dove with its wings stretched out to the sky, so free and graceful. Shadow huffed spitefully; he and Timber weren't exactly 'friends'.

"I need you to help me interpret a dream I had." Timber meowed to the black cat. Shadow threw his head back in a haughty laugh before he answered Timber.

"Why would I help you? You didn't want to help me in the beginning!" Shadow spat. Timber felt as if karma had knocked the breath from him. Shadow flicked one ear and licked his paw.

"Please, it was about Stella!" Timber begged. Shadow raised his chin and turned away from him with a hum of ignorance. Timber remembered Rose's bloody and dead body…and her swollen stomach. "Rose was there too!"

Shadow quit humming, the hair along his neck ruffled as he turned to look at Timber. Timber used the opportunity to keep talking. "Rose was killed…by Stella, but it wasn't Stella. She was another cat…a male cat."

Shadow narrowed his bright blue eyes. "What did the tom look like?"

"He was about my age…a light ginger tabby." Timber meowed. Shadow's eyes flew open and his tail fur ruffled in fear. A sudden wave of nausea washed over Timber as he saw fear in the black tom's eyes. "Shadow…who is he?"

"Listen to me, Timber!" Shadow stood before him with anger and fear bleeding over him in uncontrollable waves. Timber laid his ears back in fear for Rose. "You need to find Rose and never let her leave your sight! She's in great danger, and if you lose her she _will_ die! Do you understand me, Timber?"

Timber shook under his pelt as Shadow continued to bark over demands. The black tom whipped his head sideways and pushed Timber forward. "She needs you more now than ever! Don't fail me kittypet, you're not the only one that loves her!"

Timber didn't hear the last part; all he could focus on was getting to Rose and keeping her safe. The wind seemed to guide Timber as he pelted through the forest to search for Rose. Her scent of dry leaves and blooming tulips led the way.

He saw her sitting by a river, her nose hovering over the crystalized water that sparkled with each ripple under the setting sun. Timber took the moment to admire her unique beauty. She wasn't as pretty as Stella, but her flaming pelt, vibrant eyes, and charming personality seemed to captivate Timber's heart. Rose turned her head, her sea-green eyes beaming in the shade of a willow tree, and smiled once she saw Timber.

"Hey…I-I was just looking for you." She blushed.

"Yeah, me too"


	16. Chapter 16

Timber quivered in fear as he stared at the gleaming teeth of a black bear. The large lumbering animal was huffing and roaring as Timber hissed and raised his paw in defense. Rose was beside him, her tail lashing and her eyes wide with fear as the bear stood on its' hind paws and clawed at the air. The bears' claws glistened in the sun as it swiped and snarled at the cats. The bear jumped forward and hit Timber's nose with his paw; Timber spat in fear and anger and swiped at his paws.

"Don't touch him!" Rose screeched, the ginger she-cat jumped in front of Timber and arched her back. The bear lifted his head up-and-down and grunted through his nose; slamming his paws down on the earth so that his muscles rippled under his black silky fur.

The bear snapped at Rose with his sharp teeth but Rose caterwauled and ran forward with claws outstretched. The bear, with wide eyes, backed away as Rose hurtled for him with bushed fur. Rose jumped high and swiped her claws at the bear until it realized that he didn't want to aggravate them anymore. Timber's legs felt shaky and his heart raced.

"Did he hurt you, Rose?" He meowed with a shaking voice. Rose ran back to Timber with scared eyes and curled her shaking body close to his. Timber shook the worry from his mind and looked down at Rose. "You saved us…"

"Uh, I-It was nothing really." Rose meowed, a hint of fear still lingered in her voice. Timber admired her bravery and flicked her ear with his tail and let out an appreciated sigh. Rose stared up at him with wide eyes, catching herself inside of Timber's amber depths, before looking away with a sharp whip of her head.

"Nonsense," Timber meowed softly, lifting Rose's chin with his tail so that she looked at him with her sea-green eyes. "You saved us…you saved me, I owe you one."

"You don't have to owe me anything." Murmured Rose shyly; she looked down at her paws. Timber was about to speak when a cold draft of wind whipped at their pelts. It was Shadow, and his blue eyes sparked with relief. A bitter feeling in Rose's heart appeared at the sight of her first love.

"What do you want, Shadow?" Timber growled, moving his chest forward and blocking Rose protectively with a heavy paw. Shadow sighed and walked in a tight circle, his tail tip flicked with anguish. _Is he jealous?_ Rose thought.

"I've come to tell you the next promise." Shadow meowed tersely. His blue eyes met Rose's and a flash of pain came into vision. Rose looked away and pressed closer to Timber, the dark brown tabby lowered his ears and snarled; he must've sensed Rose's hurt.

"Tell us and be on your way." Timber growled in warning. Shadow curled his lip and stepped forward so that the tom's muzzles where almost touching. The black starry tom backed away when he saw that Timber was twice his size and sat with his tail over his paws.

"You both have completed the third promise: _Teach when lost. _Rose did that by teaching you to catch your own prey remember?" Rose felt Shadow's eyes on her but she didn't dare look at him. "But now you have to complete the fourth promise."

Timber flicked his tail and snarled tensely, his claws unsheathing when he noticed Shadow looking at Rose with regret in his blue eyes. "What is the fourth promise?" Shadow looked away from Rose and met Timbers' gaze. The dark brown tabby didn't like the look that was on the black tom's eyes.

"Help when Hurt."

Timber knew what was coming next. _Don't let her leave your sight!_


	17. Chapter 17

Rose walked alone in the forest with prey in her jaws. She managed to catch a squirrel and a small shrew for her and Timber to eat when they get hungry. An unfamiliar scent caught her attention as she padded back to where Timber was waiting. It smelt like another cat…a male cat.

"Hello?" Rose meowed. _Maybe he could show me and Timber the way back home! _"Is someone out here?"

A cat appeared from the bushes, his amber eyes beamed with curiosity as he spotted Rose. A smile appeared timidly from his face. Rose dropped the prey and raised her tail happily to see another cat. "Who are you?" The tom asked.

"I'm Rose…me and my friend are lost, could you help us find our way home?" Rose meowed. She knew the tom looked familiar, but she couldn't figure out why. The ginger tabby tom tipped his head.

"Yeah, I can help you…Do I know you from somewhere?" He meowed. Rose shrugged and looked over to where Timber was waiting.

"Not sure, but let me get Tim-" Rose was knocked off her feet by the tom cat. The ginger tabby tom pressed his paw on the back of Rose's head and pressed her face in the dirt. Rose struggled to free her face from the mud, but the ginger tabby tom was too heavy and she couldn't breathe.

"You won't be getting anyone, spiteful rogue!" The tom hissed. He dug his claws into Rose's back and the she-cat howled in pain. The tom's voice sounded familiar… "I'm going to kill you right here and enjoy every second of it!"

Rose instantly remembered who this cat was. He was the light ginger tabby that attacked her when she first met Timber. He and Shadow, back when he was alive, had attacked her over territorial issues. Rose forced her limbs to grow limp and the tabby tom struggled to keep his grip on her fur. Rose rolled away from him and gasped for air, finally free from the choking mud.

"You rat! You piece of fox-dung!" Rose screeched and swiped at the tom as he pinned her down to the earth. His claws dug into Rose's throat as she struggled under his grip. The tom raised a paw with sharp claws reflecting the sun.

"I'll teach you to tread on my territory again!" The tom hissed, he lowered his paw and sliced his claws across Rose's face. The world went black and her vision of her attacker blurred as her head grew fuzzy. Rose tried to stand, but she couldn't feel her legs and only toppled to the ground in a heap of blood. She tried to stay awake for as long as possible, and was lucky to see Timber come to her aid before all went dark.

_Darkness is quiet…_

She does not belong here!

_No one ever does, Shadow!_

_He_ needs her…What about me, what about the _promises_!

_I'm sorry, Shadow…it's over_


	18. Chapter 18

"Rose?" Timber's heart sank as he saw Rose's limp body curled on the forest floor. "Rose!"

Timber ran for his friend with tears blurring his vision. He left her alone and now she's dead! His heart burned with sadness and regret as he stared at the deep wound on her cheek; the blood was soaking her neck fur. It was just like his dream, only Rose wasn't pregnant.

"Rose, please no!" Cried Timber with a shaking body, "Wake up, come on Rose, please!" Timber picked up the she-cat with one paw and felt his stomach pierce when her head flopped lifelessly. A surge of tears made his body quake with sorrow. A swarm of black mist circled around before him until the familiar ghost of Shadow came into sight. His mouth was gapped in grief as he stared at the lifeless body of Rose.

I told you this would happen!" The black tom screeched. "I told you not to leave her and now look! She's dead because of you, this is your fault!"

"I know it's my fault, Shadow!" Roared Timber, angrily; he leapt to his paws and tried his hardest to claw at Shadow's fur, but the spirit cat was too quick. Shadow flicked his tail in defense before looking back at Rose. The black tom sighed and floated over to the dead cat with his body mystifying temporarily.

"I love her too you know." Shadow murmured, pressing his muzzle to Rose's forehead. Anger beamed under Timber's pelt and he lunged for the black tom.

"Get away from her!" Timber screeched. "Rose is mine, not yours!"

"Wrong!" Spat Shadow as he vanished to another spot. "Stella is yours, not Rose!"

Timber paused. Shadow was right…who did Timber really love? The dark brown tabby shook his head and curled his body around Rose. Shadow huffed angrily and stuck his muzzle in Timber's face. "Stella is the reason for my death! Why did you love her, huh?"

"What?" Timber growled. "Stella wouldn't kill anybody!"

"Oh not Stella…but her mate would." Shadow smirked.

"I didn't kill you, loon!" Timber spat, tucking his nose into Rose's fur.

"You think Stella loved you?" Shadow meowed, his black pelt dispersing.

"Her real mate killed Rose."


	19. Chapter 19

_Stella betrayed me!_ Timber hissed to himself. Shadow sat nearby, his body wrapped around Rose in the den under the fern shade. He excused the jealousy rising in his chest as the sight of him being so close to Rose and focused on the idea of his former mate.

"I think she's waking up!" Shadow meowed worriedly and pressed his paw to her chest. Timber ran over to Rose, his heart filling with hope and anxiety. He was certain for sure that he loved Rose with every inch of his body and he wanted to be the first think her beautiful eyes saw.

"Is she okay?" Timber asked, before pressing his paw against her chest. Shadow shrugged and shook his pale pelt. The starry cat gave Rose one of his lives and his pelt now emitted a dim light, and was no longer bright.

"I gave her one of my lives…I've done my best." Shadow murmured with a lowered head. His dull blue eyes met Timbers. "Stay with her tonight…she needs you."

"I will…" Timber meowed. The dark brown tabby circled Rose's small body and lay down beside her. He groomed her pelt and cleaned the blood from her fur as Shadow looked on. Timber felt guilty for the black tom, he sacrificed his final lives to bring her back and now he only has one left. "Hey Shadow… Thank you."

The black tom looked back and smiled, dipping his head courteously and looking down at Rose. "She needs you more than she'll ever need me…trust that." The black tom disappeared and left Timber alone with Rose. With Rose unconscious, Timber decided to pour out his heart to her.

"I love you Rose." He meowed, pressing his muzzle to her ear. "I admire your strength and fiery attitude; your fearless and short-tempered heart. Sure we started off shaky…but I know now more than ever that I love you." Timber pulled the she-cat closer to him. "You're eyes are like stars…always beaming and finding a way to catch me and never let go. You truly are that spark that lit my heart!"

Rose twitched her paws in sleep as Timber spoke to her. Timber licked her bloody cheek before continuing.

"I wish you could hear me now…" Timber sighed, thinking about Stella's betrayal. _Where her kits even mine? _ His heart burned with hate for his previous mate. "Stella betrayed me. She told me I was the father of her kits, but I know she lied…" A thought trailed into Timber's mind. It was Rose; her stomach was full of kits and a tom padded by her side. Timber purred at the sight of her swollen belly. _She would make a wonderful mother._ The tabby tom sighed and pressed his muzzle to her stomach and sighed.

"One day, we will have beautiful kits of our own."


	20. Chapter 20

"The fourth prophecy has been fulfilled, good job, Timber." Shadow meowed. Rose smiled happily and pressed her head under Timber's chin. The dark brown tabby tom purred deeply and tucked Rose closer to his side with his free paw. Shadow lowered his head and continued talking through it. "The fifth prophecy: Love when Angry."

Rose looked into Timber's eyes and smiled, her sea-green eyes closing slowly. Timber rubbed his cheek with hers and looked back over to Shadow. The black ghost had left in spite of jealousy seeing the two together and left the two with each other's own company. Rose let out a sigh and nuzzled closer to Timber.

"How could I ever be angry with you?" Rose purred. Timber licked the top of her head and gazed at her with cool eyes.

"I know I never could." Timber pressed his muzzle to her ear. "I love you too much."

Rose stood and rubbed her flank against him as she walked in a tight circle. Her whiskers twitched with happiness and her tail was raised high. Her orange-colored pelt beamed like fire under the sunlight and made Timber's heart flutter in admiration. Timber saw a white flower blooming from a dogwood tree. It was so tiny and beautiful, just like Rose; Timber raced up the tree and knocked the flowers from the trees, Rose stared in awe as the pretty white flowers fell down on top of her.

Timber grabbed a flower delicately between his teeth and placed it between her ears. It shone against her flaming pelt.

"It's beautiful." Murmured Rose with closed eyes. Timber sat beside her and wrapped his tail around Rose, the two sat and watched the flowers fall and bees flutter around while butterflies soared close to the ground. A neon yellow butterfly fluttered past Rose's head and the she-cat swiped her paw it. "I almost had him!" She meowed playfully.

"Watch this." Timber meowed. The dark brown tabby crouched down, his large body looking even bigger, and leapt high to swipe at a bumble bee that was shuffling inside of a flower. The bee flew away and come back to sting Timber's nose. "Ouch, it got me!" Timber jumped back in surprise and rubbed his nose.

Rose laughed and bounded over to him. She licked his nose that was swelling from the sting and placed her paw on his. "I have to admit, that was pretty funny…" Timber purred and stood to face Rose. He softly pressed his muzzle to Roses' and let a soft purr rise in his throat.

Stella meant nothing to him now, she lied to him! He actually thought he was going to be a father. The thought of Stella and those kits burned into rage into his mind, he could only see his future with Rose. He knew she would never lie to him, never betray him; Timber leaned into Rose and breathed in the scent of her, and envisaged what their kits would look like together.

_They will be the most beautiful kits ever born!_


	21. Chapter 21

A snake arched back with a gapping mouth. Rose stood perfectly still in fear that the snake would bit her and it would be over. The snake slithered out its fork tongue as Rose look back at Timber. The tom's eyes glinted with protectiveness as he padded forward to the snake.

"Is it poisonous?" Rose croaked as the snaked focused its attention on Timber. The dark brown tabby shrugged and slowly pushed Rose out of the way so that it was just him and the snake. "T-Timber what are you…" She began but Timber silenced her by pressing his thick tail to her muzzle.

"I don't think he's poisonous…" Timber meowed, raising a paw with gleaming claws. The snake lunged for Timber's paw but missed and was stunned when Timber battered its head.

"Timber, be careful!" Rose meowed worriedly. Timber smiled and a laugh escaped from his mouth. Rose was afraid the snake with bite him.

"This is fun!" Timber meowed, still thumping the snake's head with his claws. Rose fidgeted nervously when the snake opened its mouth and lunged again, this time barely missing his paw. "Whoa, that was close!"

"Just kill him already. I don't want him biting you." Rose quaked. Timber looked back at Rose with an apologetic frown. The snake, with Timber not looking, coiled its neck and sprung forward. The snake's needle-sharp fangs bit into Timber's leg.

Rose squealed and leapt forward, slamming her paw into the snake's rubbery body so that it flew far from Timber. The large tabby shook his leg and licked at his wound as Rose bit into the neck of the long animal.

"Timber" Rose panted, hurrying over to the tom's side. "Are you okay? Is the snake venomous? Oh, I told you not to mess with him!"

Timber chuckled lightly and licked Rose's muzzle. "The snake's not harmful. I'll swell a bit, but I will be fine. Don't worry."

"Are you sure?!" Rose wailed with wide eyes. Timber nodded coolly and licked his leg again. Rose sniffed at his wound and shook nervously. "A-Are you hurt? Do you need me to help you?"

"Rose I'm fine…" Timber meowed calmly; the tom stood and wrapped his head around her neck to soothe her worried nerves. It helped some, but not a lot. "I wouldn't risk dying over something as frivolous as a snake. I will never leave you alone."

Rose tried to ease her shaky nerves but a pinch of fear still lingered. Timber licked her cheek and rubbed his muzzle against her shoulder; Rose leaned into him and licked the two bite wounds in his leg. A maternal instinct rose in her heart as she breathed in the scent of her new mate, an image of kits flashed in her mind. A tiny little kit with fat paws and fluffy brown fur that stuck out in all directions, her heart melted at the sight.

"Timber?" Rose whispered, still thinking of the kit.

"Yes, Rose." Timber murmured deeply.

"Do you think I'd be a good mother?" Rose meowed nervously. How would Timber react to her question? Would he lose interest? Would he still want to be with her?

Timber froze, his eyes widening in surprise. Rose held her breath anxiously as she waited for Timber's response. The dark brown tabby looked down at her and smiled.

"You would be an excellent mother."


	22. Chapter 22

"Kits?" Shadow meowed as Rose told him about her plans. The black tom bristled with anger and sadness but he spoke kindly. "I do believe you'd be a wonderful mother, my flower."

Rose nodded happily. "You're not upset are you?"

"Upset doesn't even begin to describe the pain my pathetic life had to offer." Shadow meowed tersely. His blue eyes met Rose's before he spoke again, his voice kinder. "You still have yours' to live…make it count, you and Timber have a great future together…I can tell."

"Do you really think so?" Rose mewed. The black starry tom smiled and pressed his muzzle to her head.

"I'm certain…don't make the same mistakes I did." Shadow vaporized and reappeared in a nearby tree. His long tail wiggled in the air. "Stay with Timber, raise a family, and don't forget about me on the way."

"I won't, Shadow." Rose nodded. Thinking of why he needed her and Timber to fulfill Seven Promises. Her eyes met his. "Why do you need us to fulfill the Seven Promises?"

Shadow lowered his head and looked at her with sadness beaming from his pelt. "My mother…my clan…my daughter, I let them all down. I cannot live my eternal life with them I don't prove myself."

"The Seven Promises are a test?" Rose meowed. Shadow raised his head and looked up at the sky.

"I was an unfaithful father, mate, and clan leader… I was too cruel for StarClan and too pleasant for the Dark Forest. I am nothing but a wandering spirit, left to rot on earth until my last life is gone."

"And if we fulfill the promises?" Rose mewed.

"I can go home…they will forgive me, and I can be free." Shadow flew away in a dull black mist. Rose felt sympathy for the dead cat and looked up at StarClan.

_Is my mother up there, my littermates?_ Rose tried to imagine her family in StarClan, sharing tongues with Shadow once the promises where fulfilled. The thought made her happy, and the she-cat turned to find Timber.

"I assure you Shadow, I will fulfill the Seven Promises; for you, for your clan, your mother and your daughter…I won't let you down."


	23. Chapter 23

"Timber, come here!" Squealed Rose with beaming eyes. Timber rushed to her aid with a flash of fear burning in his pelt.

"What, what is it!? Are you hurt?" Timber stiffed around Rose's body, it smelt odd lately but Timber never took notice of it until now.

"No silly," Rose purred. She nudged Timber to press his paw to her stomach. "I'm pregnant!"

Timber's blood ran cold and his vision turned black around the edges at Rose's sudden news. He forgot to breathe and his paws started to burn where he was touching Rose's stomach. His mind started racing and his heart sped. _She's pregnant…she's… pregnant._

"Isn't it wonderful?" Rose purred. "You're going to be a father!"

That topic used to leave a bitter taste in Timber's mouth until now. He was going to be the father of Rose's kits; they were _his_ kits…their kits. Timber leapt high into the air and spun in a circle, his eyes wide with happiness.

"I'm a father!" Timber cried happily. Rose smiled and pressed her muzzle to his.

"The father of four kits," Rose purred. "I can count their hearts…"

"When did you find out?" Timber meowed with a wide smile. His heart was racing with excitement. Rose licked her stomach softly; it wasn't swollen but it would be in a couple of weeks.

"Just now…when I heard their heart beat," Rose mewed. "Isn't this fantastic?"

"It's wonderful…their wonderful." Timber pressed his muzzle to her stomach before laying his ear against it. He could sense the tiny thumps of his kits heartbeats and enjoyed the sound of life that he and Rose created together. Rose licked Timber's ears and nuzzled his cheek.

"We're a family, Timber." Sighed Rose peacefully. Timber envisioned Stella and her kits, now probably able to catch prey pretty decent, at the Twoleg den. _Why did I ever want to go back there?_ Timber thought. _I don't even want to go home…I'm happy being lost in the forest with my true love, Rose._

In order to see Stella again…Timber had to complete the Seven Promises, but Timber didn't want to see Stella, he hated her for lying to him.

_I will not finish the Seven Promises, Shadow. _Timber thought to himself.

_Oh, yes you will._ Shadow's voice whispered in his ear.

_You can't make me, I don't love Stella anymore. _

_Very well,_ Shadow's voice murmured. _But I do not give up that easy._


	24. Chapter 24

"I brought you a large vole." Timber mewed to Rose. The fiery-colored she-cat lay under the familiar shade of their fern den; her belly was showing a small sign of swelling. "I want you and our kits to be full and healthy."

"Thank you, Timber." Purred Rose as Timber laid down the large vole. Timber brushed his cheek against hers and licked a ruffled piece of fur on her stomach bump.

"I can't wait to see their tiny faces." Timber murmured. Rose sighed and licked Timber's muzzle with a delicate tongue. The large tabby shook his head away from Rose and smiled gratefully. "We can watch them grow and become beautiful and graceful cats. Not like Stella's."

"Who," Rose meowed with an arched eye. Timber felt a rock slam into the pit of his stomach. _You forgot to tell her! You stupid idiot! _Timber knew the whole story was too complicated to tell now so he decided not to mention it.

"N-Nothing, it's a long story." Timber mewed nervously. He didn't want to step on one of her invisible landmines. Rose narrowed her sea-green eyes and stood on her paws; her stomach swayed slightly.

"It's nothing, Timber?" Rose mewed irritably; the bomb was so close to exploding. "Who is Stella?" Timber clenched in fear. Rose would be so angry if he told her about his kits with her…if they even where his. The tabby tom fidgeted on his paws and looked back at Rose with pleading eyes.

"Stella…is my," Timber meowed slowly, thinking of what to say so that he didn't set Rose's bomb off. The fire colored she-cat flicked her tail irritably, quickly getting the idea. "She's my…sister."

"Liar," Spat Rose with anger waving from her pelt. Her claws slid out and her back was arched high. Her flaming pelt bristled in anger. "You liar, tell me who she is _now_, or so help me I'll rip your fur off!"

The bomb went off.

"Rose look, it's a long story!" Timber called after her as she paced in a tight circle away from him. The ginger she-cat retaliated with gleaming claws, barely missing Timber's muzzle.

"Who is she, Timber?" Screeched Rose, her eyes beamed with anger. "Tell me now!"

"Stella…look, she doesn't matter anymore." Timber tried to calm his angered mate; her hormones swaying in full motion, making her anger even greater as she tried to pry the answer from Timber. "I love you so much more."

"What!"

"Rose, please listen!" Timber begged. Rose curled her lip and lashed her tail in anguish.

"You loved someone else!" She hissed. "And you never told me! Did you have kits with this, _Stella,_ too?"

"I don't even know if they're mine." Timber accidentally mewed. Rose's eyes widened in shock and her mouth gapped open. Timber instantly regretted his words, trying to come near her but the she-cat backed away with pain beaming in her eyes.

"Y-You…I…" Rose murmured, tears threatening to flood down her face. Timber opened his mouth to speak but Rose lowered her head and stifled a sob. "I can't believe you, Timber…"

"Rose, I'm sorry just listen, _please_!" Timber cried.

"No, Timber." Rose mewed, looking up at him with pathetic eyes. "You've said enough."

"Rose, I…" Timber started but Rose held up her tail for silence.

"I hate you, Timber."


	25. Chapter 25

Rose ran until she could no longer breathe and her paws felt like they were about to fall off. The she-cat knew that she was miles away from Timber, and she was happy with that. Her heart felt like it had been ripped open by fox teeth and her regret burned like a sizzling and spitting flame. Rose fell onto the earth and curled into a tight ball so that her muzzle touched her slightly swollen belly.

"He lied to me…I knew I shouldn't have trusted him." Rose quaked, running her tongue across her belly fur. Her body shivered in tiredness and tears, never in her life had she felt to let down. Timber struck her right in the heart!

_He has another family…another mate…other kits._ Rose thought with a pinch of furious anger lingering in the bottom of her heart. The same lingering anger that was the days she was still getting to know Timber. Rose regretted getting close to him.

The bright orange beams of sunset glowed behind the tall oak trees that covered the forest and turned Rose's fur into a scarlet ray of its own. Rose pressed her paw against her stomach and let out a saddened sigh.

"We don't need him…" Rose knew it was a lie. Timber was their when she fell from the tree and hurt her paw, he was there to warm her the night the rain water had made her body cold, he was there when she was attacked by the strange tom, and he was also there for her kits…

A raven flew onto a nearby tree and tipped its head in curiosity at the distressed mother. Rose's shoulder's quaked in as a fresh wave of tears coursed down her cheeks; the raven flew down beside her and dropped a flower at her paws, it was a pink rose that was lightly dappled with white flecks. Rose sniffed and looked up, the bird looked familiar.

"I know you." Mewed Rose quietly, sweeping the flower closer to her with her tail. The raven cawed lightly and shook the dust from his feathers, the floating debris from his dirty wings drifted softly into the air and reflected off of the sunset's rays. It was the raven that Rose tried to kill the day she fell out of the tree. _The day I never loved Timber! _Rose shook the thought away with a snarl and looked back at the bird. "Thank you…it's beautiful."

The bird tipped its head, pecked the ground once and flapped away on wide wings. Rose longed for the bird to come back but it was gone. Her world had never felt so lonely.

_Thank you…I owe you one._ Rose looked up at the sky and back down at the rose the bird had given her.

She lay down and closed her eyes, the rose tucked beside her cheek until a dream reached her mind.


	26. Chapter 26

"It isn't as bad as it seems my flower." Shadow mewed to Rose. The black tom was sitting beside her in her dream, his pelt still dull.

"How, Shadow?" Rose sniffed sadly, her stomach swollen with life. "Timber has kits with another cat!"

"Let me show you something." Shadow stood and held out his long tail. Rose wrapped her tail with his and soon the scene around them changed. They were at a nofur's den, a black cat lay outside with kits tussling around her, one was a gray tabby she-cat, and the other was a brown-and-white tom. Shadow looked down at the cats a flick of unknown emotion.

"How is showing me Timber's family going to make me feel any better," Rose huffed. "It just makes me angrier."

"Anger has no room in your heart, my dear." Shadow mewed, his narrow face and eyes focused on the black she-cat. Rose snorted a remark but watched the two kits.

"I bet I can climb higher than you!" The brown-and-white tom taunted his sister. The gray tabby curled her nose and flicked her tail.

"I bet you can't!" She mewed. Stella placed her paw on her daughter's tail to stop her from jumping. The little gray tabby pouted as Stella scolded her and her brother for roughhousing.

"This is pointless, Shadow." Rose mewed irritably. Shadow lifted a paw.

"Keep watching…"

The kits turned their attention to the woods and smiled wide with raised tails. "Look, Stella dad's home!" The tom meowed, running out of Rose's view. Rose waited to see Timber appear with a cheating smirk on his face, but only saw the ginger tabby that had attacked her.

"What is this?!" Rose meowed with astonishment. Shadow raised his chin disappointedly and gazed down at Rose.

"Don't you see, flower?" Shadow mewed sadly. "Stella is the cheater. She lied to Timber, saying she was expecting _his_ kits…she betrayed him, and he was oblivious."

"How did he find out?" Rose mewed, her lungs coughing for air.

"I told him…I couldn't let the lies continue." Shadow mewed.

"So I truly am his mate!" Rose meowed, a glimmer of hope thumping in her heart.

"Yes…but you better wake up now." Shadow meowed, his blue eyes turning red. "I wouldn't want you to die after you have just completed the Fifth Promise: Love when Angry."

"Wake up before I die…what?" Rose mewed. Shadow blinked and the foggy depths of her dreams faded and her heart dropped when she saw the one thing she was most afraid of.

The forest was engulfed in fire.

"The sixth promise: Run when tired."


	27. Chapter 27

Fire surrounded Timber in a wide circle that devoured nearby oak trees and spit their ashes to the sky. Timber screamed Rose's name over the roaring flames, in hopes that she wasn't burning alive. The dark brown tabby tom looked into the direction in which Rose ran from him the night she discovered Stella and swallowed his heart when the deepest parts where covered in greedy orange tongues.

"Rose, where are you?!" Yelled Timber, his fur bristled in fear as he watched the flames creep closer and closer. The tom ran forward until he found the stream; fire was so close to the bank that it burned at his eyes.

Timber, ignoring his fear of deep water, stepped into the lake and dipped his fur in the water so that the fire would burn his fur. Flaming ashes lightly kissed the surface of the darkened water and held their flames on the surface; they danced mockingly in Timber's face. Timber doused the tiny flaming ashes and dipped his burning eyes back under the water. The water was cool and refreshing.

A black shadow loomed over the rippling water's surface. Shadow was standing on the water; his faded body reflected the orange light that illuminated the world. Timber gasped for air, the smoke clogging his lungs as he tried to talk to the spirit cat.

"Follow me, Timber." Shadow meowed with worried eyes. The mystified cat dipped under the water, Timber followed, and the two swam far down the deep stream until they could see bubbles floating to the surface. The black cat pointed to a wide hole in the river wall.

_Go inside._

Timber, running out of air, crawled into the hole and was surprised when there was air inside of the tiny cave. The tom gasped for air and lay down on the stone floor.

{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

Rose ran with fire nipping at her heels. It was hard to run with a swollen stomach full of kits! Rose's heart thumped with fear as she envisaged the deepest parts of her memory:

Her mother running from the fire, her kits dangling helplessly from her jaws; she trips and drops Rose's sister in the fire. The pain running through her mother's veins as she caught on fire and the lonely pit in her heart when Rose's brother died soon after. I'm all alone now…

Rose shook her head to erase the memory and found herself running faster. Her heart was hammering in her chest as her muscles fought of oxygen, but Rose kept going. She didn't want to meet the fate of her mother and littermates, she wanted her kits to live and grow up with their father. Rose's heart soared when she imagined Timber, but quickly caught in her throat when she envisioned him burning to death. The screams of her mother reappeared in her mind.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Cried Rose as she pelted through the forest, the ground was becoming increasingly uneven. Rose saw that an incline in the earth was quick ahead and she tried to jump, only to discover that her paws slipped and her body was falling down the hollow. Rose turned her back to the ground as she fell, not wanting to hurt her kits that where bouncing inside.

The ground slapped her back, and her spine ached with pain. The fire was billowing closer and closer to Rose. Her lungs screamed for air from both exhaustion and lack of oxygen. A thought hit her as she cowered close to the cold stone walls of the wide hollow.

_Isn't the sixth promise: Run when Tired?_

"Very good, my flower," A male voice meowed, a hint of fear quivering in his voice. "You have completed the sixth promise. The final promise: Die when saving."

"Shadow, help me!" Wailed Rose, the she-cat wrapping her tail over her swollen belly; Shadow cowered over her, the black tom shielding her from the flames.

Rose's kits kicked her softly from the inside as the starry tom protected their mother from the fire. Rose licked Shadow's cheek appreciatively and looked back down at her large stomach. She could just see her four little kits cuddled close inside, unaware of the fire surging around them.

"Shadow will protect us, little ones..." Rose murmured. The ginger she-cat looked up into the eyes of her guardian, they glinted with fear and his legs shook. Rose swallowed a piece of fear bubbling in her throat.

_I hope… Die when Living_


	28. Chapter 28

The air smelt clean…fresh and reviving. Timber stirred in his nest, expecting to feel Rose's body beside his but only felt nothing. A rustle sounded from behind him.

"Look, he's awake!" A tiny voice mewed excitedly.

"Hush, Seedkit," A voice scolded. "He's hurt!" Timber's eyes flew open.

Around him where four cats: Two females, a tom, and one kit. The brown tabby she-cat sniffed at Timber's fur with a wad of moss in her mouth. Her amber eyes looked tired and jaded…miserable.

"Drink this…you inhaled too much smoke." The she-cat meowed wearily. Timber pushed the moss away as struggled to stand on his paws. A ginger-and-white she-cat pressed her side to his with a smile, one eye was missing and scarred. Timber bit back a yowl of surprise and stood back on his feet.

"Are you dizzy?" The she-cat mewed. Timber didn't answer; he was busy staring at her horrific scar. The tiny kit battered at Timber's paws.

"Was it scary in the fire?" The kit mewed innocently. A gray tabby tom scoffed and shooed the kit away with his paw, his blind blue eyes sinking deep into Timber's eyes.

"What cat would be stupid enough to almost drown him while a fire is destroying the forest?" The gray tabby scoffed irritably. Timber flicked his tail in surprise at the tom's sudden scolding but dismissed it when a dark brown tabby tom padded toward him.

"He's awake!" The tom mewed, a dark ginger tabby beside him. His amber eyes met Timber's. "Welcome to ThunderClan, stranger."

"What…" Timber was so confused. Who were these strange cats with gruesome scars and scrawny bodies? He needed to find Rose! "H-Have you seen her?" Timber looked around the huge hollow.

"Who," The dark ginger cat mewed with a tipped head. Timber looked back at the brown she-cat and shook the frustration from his mind. The brown tabby was seated beside the grating gray tabby.

"I need to get back to her!" Timber meowed frantically. "She may be dead, please!"

"Who are you talking about?" The ginger-and-white she-cat inquired.

"Rose, her name is Rose!" Blurted Timber, the large tom was pacing in a tight circle. The brown tabby she-cat placed her tail on his flank to calm his nerves.

"We don't know who she is." The cat meowed. The gray tabby wiggled his tail in annoyance. Timber ripped himself from her grip and scaled the height of the hollow.

"Then I need to leave and find her!" Timber hissed.

"You are too injured to go on alone." The gray tabby mewed. Timber lashed his tail fell off balance into the sand. The gray tom snickered quietly before he and the brown she-cat helped him up and carried him into the medicine den. "You're going to have to stay here until you get better."

"It isn't that bad here." The brown she-cat murmured unconvincingly. Timber sat in the den with worried paws. He could see Rose now…probably alone and grief-stricken if not dead!

_Please Shadow, let her be okay! _


	29. Chapter 29

"So what was she like?" Cinderheart mewed softly, her kits bundled by her stomach. Timber felt most calm around the gray tabby, and he liked her mate Lionblaze too. The two became friends quickly after her arrived.

"Rose…?" Timber asked, his mind drifting back to the beautiful fiery she-cat. "She was spirited, enthusiastic, and an excellent hunter. She means everything to me…"

Cinderheart tipped her head with a frown and tucked a flame-colored kit closer to her stomach, her eyes where soft, her words where gentle as she spoke.

"She sounds wonderful. Maybe StarClan was watching over her and your kits." Cinderheart mewed. Timber nodded and looked over at Lionblaze; the golden tabby had been listening intently on his story on Rose the entire time.

"So you are a kittypet and she's a rogue?" Lionblaze meowed. Timber nodded. "Was their tension at first?"

"Yes…Rose couldn't stand me." A laugh of remembrance escaped his throat at the memory of Rose clawing his ear. Lionblaze looked over at Cinderheart as she spoke.

"That just proves that we are all the same inside: weather rogue, kittypet, or warrior." Cinderheart purred. "Just ask Millie and Graystripe."

"Or Stormfur and Brook, those two are tribe and warrior cats." Lionblaze cut in. Cinderheart tipped her head and yawned with teeth gleaming.

"I better get some sleep, Hawkkit, Firekit, and Hollykit will be extra energized with a new cat in the camp. Cinderheart nudged Timber on the shoulder and laid down her head. Lionblaze nodded and waved goodbye to Timber as he padded to the medicine den, his mind reeling with an idea. He saw no cats guarding the exits and instinct kicked in.

Timber climbed up the hollow with lightning-fast speed, making no noise at all. He smelled freedom, racing across the forest with beaming eyes. His mind drifted back to Rose.

"I'm coming, my flower!"


	30. Chapter 30

An old familiar face was staring right into Timber's eyes.

"Stella…" The black she-cat was standing there with wide eyes.

"T-Timber," She mewed nervously, her two kits at her sides. Anger swelled in Timber's heart as the she-cat ran to him like he didn't already know about her affair. "I missed you so much!"

Timber hissed to himself, pushing his former mate off of him. The two kits tilted their heads to the side and gazed at Timber with confused eyes. Stella looked into Timber's eyes; both worry and fear clouded them.

"W-Where have you been?" Stella murmured. "You've been gone for moons."

"I was lost…in the woods, looking for a way back to you." Timber seethed with rage, just thinking about Stella's betrayal. His eyes burned into Stella's, she must think he doesn't know. "But I met someone…two cats actually."

"W-Who," Stella stuttered, her tail flicked nervously as Timber held her gaze sharply. "Who were they?"

"Why should you care, you betrayed me." Stella's amber eyes widened, and her kits face curled in confusion. The brown-and-white tabby kit lashed his tail at Timber and faced his mother with narrowed blue eyes.

"What is he talking about?" The tom meowed with a hint of anger. Stella flicked him away with her tail and focused back on Timber.

"What do you mean betrayed?" She seethed. "You've been gone for so long and this is how you greet me…greet your kits!?"

A light ginger tabby tom made his way into the tense scene. He heard what Stella said and his eyes sparked with rage. "**_His_** kits…" The tom growled. "I'm the father of those kits!"

"No, no what are you doing here!?" Stella jumped back, her two kits curling their lip at her.

"I came back early to see if you were okay, but instead I come back to hear you say that this cat is the father of my kits!" The light ginger tabby scoffed. His attention adverted to Timber. "Who are you, mangy pelted rouge!?"

"My name is Timber." The dark brown tabby growled. He was sizing up the smaller tom and smirked in confidence when the ginger tom back away slightly. Timber knew this was the cat that attacked Rose and almost killed her, and he was going to make sure he got revenge. "And I'm looking for someone."

"Who cares?" The ginger tom spat. "Get away from my mate and kits!"

Timber lifted his chin and gazed down at the tom. "I believe you know her, soft house cat!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Growled the tom with a lash of his stripped tail, his kits whispered and shot Timber harsh eyes

"Her name is Rose." Timber pressed. He saw the cat's eyes spark only a moment's notice; this cat definitely knew who she was. "You almost killed her one night…_remember_?"

Stella wrapped her kits closer to her stomach, the brown-and-white tom running from her grasp to stand by his father. The kit's green eyes burned with an intense flame and he stood by.

"You lair; Go crawl back under whatever rock you came from and leave my father alone!" The kit hissed. Timber heard a rustle in the bushes from behind him and he instantly whipped around. A familiar face stood before him.

"Shadow" The black starry cat was lumbering through the woods with dull tired eyes. The usually dim light of his stars where gone and all that was left of him was a misty black fog. The black tom looked up and smiled, Timber was never fond of Shadow, but seeing him now he realized how fond he had grown of him.

"I-I…I-have…" Shadow stammered; Stella's eyes widened in shock. "R-Rose…"

Timber's heart leapt out of his chest when he saw the beautiful figure of Rose limping from behind shadow. Her stomach was so swollen that it dragged the ground as he hobbled. Her eyes where wide with fear and her face was curled in pain as her body shivered.

"The kits…They're coming!"


	31. Chapter 31

Timber tried running to his mates' rescue, but his paws where knocked from under him by the light ginger tabby. His claws dug deep into Timber's shoulders as he tried to pin the big tabby down. Shadow gasped and ran to Timber's aid, his blows blurred and sloppy, only a sliver of his last life remained.

"Protect Rose!" Shadow hissed to Timber as he clawed at the ginger tom's ears. Timber ran to his mates' side and pressed his nose to her forehead, her breathing was fast and heavy as contractions coursed through her body.

"T-Timber, help me!" Hissed Rose through clenched teeth. Her body was shivering in pain as her kits tried to push their way out. A small voice sounded from behind Timber.

"Let me help." Stella's daughter meowed, her blue eyes where serious and trusting.

"Can I trust you?" Timber meowed intently. The gray tabby she-cat nodded and grabbed a stick in her jaws before handing it to Rose. The she-cat's brother gasped in surprise as his sister helped the enemy.

"Marie, what are you doing!?" He yowled. His sister looked at him with tired eyes that looked wiser than any cat Timber had seen.

"I can't live like that anymore, Talon…" She looked back down at Rose as another contraction took hold of her body. "She needs me."

Her brother crouched down and leapt at his sister with outstretched claws. His eyes craved for blood. Timber scowled and blocked him from Marie.

"Come any closer and I'll rip your fur off!" Timber lashed out his claws, making sure that no cat touches Rose or harms his kits. Talon backed away quickly and ran for his mother; Stella wrapped her tail around her son and looked back over at Shadow.

"The first kit is coming!" Marie called to Timber. The dark brown tabby didn't turn around; he was watching Shadow and the ginger tom fight. The black spirit cat as losing greatly, his eyes blurred each time the other tom clawed his face. The ginger tom shoved Shadow to the ground and pinned his down, raking his claws down Shadow's stomach. Timber couldn't watch this anymore.

"Protect Rose!" Timber called to Marie. The gray tabby she-cat nodded and glared at her brother with narrowed eyes.

Timber rolled the ginger tom off of Shadow and pummeled him with his large claws. The ginger tabby yowled in pain and tried to pull free from Timber's grasp, but the larger tom had a stronger grip. He clawed until blood spilled over the tom's body and gushed from his nostrils.

Timber, clawing him one more time across the muzzle, jumped off of him and ran to Shadow's aid. The black tom was lying on the grass, his eyes clouded and his long legs tucked close to his stomach, Timber looked up to see Marie grabbing her brother's neck in her jaws, her eyes bloodthirsty but loyal to Rose's side. Talon squirmed free with terrified eyes and ran from his sister with blood gushing from his throat.

Stella, Talon, and his father limped away into the woods. Their eyes hurt and flaming with rage as Marie refused to go with them; they hissed and denied to love her anymore. Timber heard to helpless mewls of his kits for the first time but he didn't dare leave Shadow's side.

"I-Is he okay?" Marie whimpered, placing the last kit at the curve of Rose's stomach. Rose gazed over at Shadow with misty eyes.

"I don't think he'll make it…" Murmured Timber sadly, Shadow's blue eyes flicked at his direction and a small and weak voice came from his mouth.

"StarClan waits for me…" Shadow murmured. Rose wailed in despair and crawled over to Shadow's side, her tail sweeping her kits over to her side.

"W-What about the S-Seven Promises?" She wailed sadly, her body shivering.

"The last one was for me to finish…Die when living." The black tom mewed with hollow breaths. "I thank you b-both for completing my life…I will be forever grateful." Marie padded her way past Rose and bent down to press her nose to his forehead. Shadow inhaled sharply and gazed into Marie's blue eyes. "I'm glad I was able to see the birth of Rose's kits…as well as my beautiful granddaughter, Marie…"

"Marie is your granddaughter?" Timber meowed in awe. Shadow nodded slowly, his eyes growing glassy.

"Stella is my daughter…I left her, my mate, and my clan behind." Shadow groaned in pain. "If I could erase time…I would continue to lead my clan, and visit my t mate and daughter that lived as kittypets."

Marie's eyes grew foggy with tears and Rose's stifled a sob. Timber pressed his muzzle to his friends head.

"Forgive me for treating you so harshly."

"Why forgive when I can forget?" Shadow meowed in a distant tone, his life slowly slipping away. Rose pressed her head to Shadow's as well as Marie and the three cats hovered over Shadow's dying body. "I may be dying…but it was all worth it in the end…But a-always remember that I'm closer than y-you think."

Shadow let out his last breath and gazed up at the sky with glazed eyes. Rose let out a cry of anguish as the tom's black mist began to swirl upward and into the white fluffy clouds that flecked the sky. Timber bit back a tear of sadness as the last of Shadow's body disappeared into the sky. Marie lowered her head and began to pad away from the distressed scene.

"Marie, wait!" Rose called to the gray kit. Marie looked back with sad eyes and padded forward to Rose. The flame colored she-cat brushed her cheek with Marie's and looked into her eyes. "You don't have to leave…stay with us."

"S-Stay," Marie mewled in shock. "But you have kits to look after."

"What's one more kit going to hurt?" Timber purred to the now orphaned kit. Marie's eyes widened and the gray tabby she-cat ran into the brown tabby with a wide smile. Rose sighed and looked down at her kits with a hopeful smile.

"What should we name them?" Timber looked down at his four beautiful kits: One cream tabby, one spotted dark ginger, one dark brown-and-white tabby, and one black-and-white kit. Marie placed her small tail on the dark spotted ginger and looked at Rose.

"Can we name her Ember?" Marie mewed sweetly. "Her fur is like a fire, and the spots look like burnt embers."

"I love it." Purred Rose, licking Ember on her tiny head with her tongue; the kit mewled in protest and squirmed away from Rose. The proud mother looked over at the cream tabby; her eyes grew soft in remembrance. "This one looks like my brother…I'll name him Spark."

"Look at her!" Timber meowed happily, looking at the tiniest kit in the litter, her dark brown-and-white coat sticking up in tufts. "She's so small…we could call her Mouse."

Marie laughed and looked down at the last kit, the black-and-white tom. Shadow's voice lingered in her mind as she looked at the tiny kit.

_I'm always closer than you think…Die when living_

"Dusk…we can call him Dusk." Rose looked at Marie with knowing eyes. Shadow was living inside of Dusk's body, he died while living. He fulfilled the Seven Promises…he fulfilled the Seventh Promise.

"Dusk….He lives on."


End file.
